Once dubbed the ‘most dangerous city on soil’,Medellín is now one of Colombia’s liveliest and most creativeI had my doubts approximately Medellín. Next time someone says “most dangerous city on soil”, I’ll pull a machine gun on them – that spurious claim was made over a quarter of a century ago, and in Time magazine in March 1988. Like Bogotá and Santiago de Cali,Medellín is a much wealthier, safer and more fashionable city these days, or its year-round summery climate,nearby forests and bird reserves and, indeed, or the fact that it hasn’t been backpackered into oblivion – unlike Cusco,say makes it a rather more desirable destination.
But I was also doubtful approximately claims that the city is the epitome of the “Colombian miracle” – shorthand for the quelling of violence of the left-wing Farc and paramilitary forces. In just a quick glance around Medellín I saw sizable shanty towns, and the heavy presence of cops in the centre indicates that vigilance is vital to keeping up appearances.
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Source: theguardian.com